Discover real natural events happening around our amazing planet right now!
Real-time hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone data from NASA EONET and global storm centres
View on Globe →A severe storm is a huge spinning storm that forms over warm ocean water with very strong winds and lots of rain. These storms have different names depending on where they form — typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean, hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean. Physically, they are all the same type of powerful tropical weather system.
NASA satellites track severe storms from their birth as tropical disturbances all the way through their lifecycle. Scientists can now predict a storm's track several days in advance, giving coastal communities vital time to prepare and evacuate.
NASA's GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) hover over fixed points above the equator, providing continuous imagery of storm systems across entire ocean basins. This 24-hour view lets forecasters watch a storm's structure, size, and intensity evolve in real time — critical for predicting when and where it will make landfall.
The CYGNSS constellation of eight small satellites uses GPS signals reflected off the ocean's surface to measure wind speeds inside tropical storms, including in the dangerous inner core around the eye. Traditional instruments struggle to measure these winds accurately, so CYGNSS fills a critical observational gap. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and its successor GPM mapped the rainfall structure inside hurricanes, revealing how much rain a storm will dump on land.
EONET tracks named tropical storms reported by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), and other global meteorological agencies, making them visible on the Earth Explorer globe as soon as they are officially named.
Earth Explorer displays active tropical storms and severe weather systems worldwide, updated continuously from NASA EONET. Named tropical cyclones — from tropical storms to Category 5 hurricanes — appear as glowing dots on the interactive globe.
View Live Storm Events →They are all the same type of storm — a large, rotating tropical cyclone with sustained winds above 119 km/h. The name depends on where the storm forms: hurricanes are in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific; typhoons are in the western Pacific; cyclones are in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific. The storms themselves behave identically.
In the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, scientists use the Saffir-Simpson scale: Category 1 (119–153 km/h winds) to Category 5 (over 252 km/h). Scientists also track central pressure — the lower the pressure, the more intense the storm. Measurements come from satellites, GPS dropsondes deployed by aircraft, and ocean buoys. "Hurricane hunter" aircraft fly directly into storms to measure conditions inside.
A storm surge is a dome of ocean water pushed toward the coast by a storm's winds. It can raise sea level 6 metres or more above normal tide level. Storm surge — not wind — is typically the deadliest element of a coastal tropical storm. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge of over 8 metres caused most of its 1,800 deaths along the US Gulf Coast in 2005.
The World Meteorological Organization maintains lists of pre-approved names for each ocean basin. Atlantic storms get alternating male and female names in alphabetical order. When a storm causes catastrophic damage, its name is retired — that's why there will never be another Hurricane Katrina or Typhoon Haiyan. Retired names are replaced with new ones in the rotating list.
Secure or bring in loose outdoor items — wind can turn furniture into dangerous missiles. Fit storm shutters or board up windows. Keep a battery-powered radio for emergency broadcasts when power fails. Prepare a supply of food, water, and medication. If an evacuation order is issued, leave immediately — do not try to ride out a Category 3 or above at home.
Earth Explorer uses NASA EONET, which reports named tropical storms from the National Hurricane Center, Joint Typhoon Warning Center, and other agencies worldwide. NASA's GOES satellites provide continuous storm imagery, the CYGNSS constellation measures wind speeds inside storms, and the GPM mission tracks rainfall rates — all contributing to the data behind the live globe display.